


Exiles

by fragilespark



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-04
Updated: 2012-06-04
Packaged: 2018-05-08 05:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5485241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fragilespark/pseuds/fragilespark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fenris is on the run with Merrill and Zevran following the battle in the Gallows.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Exiles

**Author's Note:**

> Written for msbarrows on tumblr

He hated to admit it, but his feet hurt. At first, it had been strange. The evenness of stone replaced by something wet, unpredictable, alive. Then, he found the sensation satisfying. The soft earth that gave way ever so slightly with his weight, the cool grass caressing him with every step, the way his toes could actually curl into the ground without resistance as he climbed up a hill. Now, they were caked in drying mud. He had slipped once or twice, had felt the bruises forming. The worst part was the rocks he kept stepping on. The ones that cut his skin, the stones that embedded themselves into his feet. The nettles that had stung him as he tried to avoid them.

It was their third night of camp since the battle with Meredith and he peeked at Merril’s feet. They were just as dirty but otherwise looked no worse for wear. There had to be a trick to it. He sighed and picked out the bits of stone and mud. Zevran had gone to get water, he would venture to the same spot later if he could clean his feet. His armour was edged with brown from where he kept scraping off the grime from his hands and his tunic was messy from where he had wiped what remained.

He hadn’t wanted to run, but he could still remember Hawke’s shove as some stray templars rallied the citizens. _Get the elves! They have magic too!_ He didn’t live in the alienage, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t target him. He would have liked to have followed Hawke, but everything happened so fast.

_Give it time to calm down._ Hawke had said. _Keep your ear out. But give it a month. Aveline can do a lot in a month._

A month. And he had ended up with a bloodmage and an overly familiar flirt.

“Fenris? Do you want a potion?”

He sighed. “No. Do not waste it.”

“You’re rubbing your feet a lot.” Merrill sat on the rock next to him - there was nowhere else to sit but on the floor or on the blanket they would use to sleep on. “I’m sure we’ll find some elfroot nearby. That’ll help.”

“I’m fine.” He hated that she was so chirpy. She never seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation.

Zevran walked into the clearing. “We are in luck. I have food, water and medicine.”

“Elfroot, by any chance?”

“Well, some fool had taken the leaves only. Don’t they know anything? I rescued the rest.”

Merrill held her hands out and Zevran tossed it to her. She pulled out her knife, an action which made Fenris recoil on instinct.

“Don’t worry,” she said, cutting the root in half, “no magic here. Foot.”

Fenris scowled and she kept her hand out.

Zevran started a small fire. “Why do you resist what’s good for you?”

Merrill was waiting. She left it up to Fenris to place his care in her hands. He moved his foot eventually and she cradled the ankle in one hand, rubbing the elfroot carefully over the sole.

It felt good. He couldn’t deny it was good for him. He was just filled with resentment, justified or not.

Merrill sat on his other side and he swapped the way he crossed his legs so that she could repeat the attention. He muttered a thank you when she was done, and she smiled at him.

Once Zevran had the fire and the cooking pot going he laid the blanket at the base of the rock Fenris and Merrill were sitting on, and removed his boots before sitting cross legged by Fenris’ feet. “I think you could do with something special.” He took one of them in his hand and started massaging it gently.

Fenris’ toes curled even as his body tensed. It was… pleasurable. By the time Zevran had finished his ministrations on both feet, Fenris felt a warmth that was as much to do with the skilled fingers as it was the warm smile.

“I think we make a good team. We look out for each other.”

Fenris didn’t remember looking out for them, apart from raising a blade against their mutual foes. However, he thought to himself that maybe it wouldn’t be a bad thing to start.


End file.
